Following on from her textile hit Slow Stitch, author Claire
Wellesley-Smith considers the importance of connection and ideas around
wellbeing when using textiles for individuals and communities, including
practical ideas around 'thinking-through-making', using 'resonant'
materials and extending the life of pieces using traditional and
non-traditional methods. Contemporary textile artists using these themes
in their work feature alongside personal work from Claire and examples
from community-based textile projects. The book features some of the
very best textile artists around, esteemed American fiber artists and
the doyenne of textiles, Alice Kettle.
Resilient fabrics that can be manipulated, stressed, withstand tension
and be made anew are recommended throughout the book, as well as
techniques such as layering, patching, reinforcing, re-stitching and
mending, plus ideas for the inclusion of everyday materials in your
work. There's an exploration of ways to link your emotional health with
your textile practice, and 'Community' suggests ways to make connections
with others in your regular textile work. 'Landscape' has a range of
suggestions and examples of immersing your work in the local landscape,
a terrific way to find meaning in your work and a sense of place.
Finally, there is a moving account of one textile community's creative
response to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.
The connection between wellbeing and the creation of textiles has never
been stronger, and, as a leading exponent of this campaign, Claire is
the perfect author to help you find more than just a finished textile at
the end of a project.
